Dogs

A New Understanding of Canine Origin, Behavior and Evolution

Paper $18.00ISBN: 9780226115634
Published
October 2002
Not for sale in the British Commonwealth except Canada

Biologists, breeders and trainers, and champion sled dog racers, Raymond and Lorna Coppinger have more than four decades of experience with literally thousands of dogs. Offering a scientifically informed perspective on canines and their relations with humans, the Coppingers take a close look at eight different types of dogs—household, village, livestock guarding, herding, sled-pulling, pointing, retrieving, and hound. They argue that dogs did not evolve directly from wolves, nor were they trained by early humans; instead they domesticated themselves to exploit a new ecological niche: Mesolithic village dumps. Tracing the evolution of today's breeds from these village dogs, the Coppingers show how characteristic shapes and behaviors—from pointing and baying to the sleek shapes of running dogs—arise from both genetic heritage and the environments in which pups are raised.

For both dogs and humans to get the most out of each other, we need to understand and adapt to the biological needs and dispositions of our canine companions, just as they have to ours.

AcknowledgmentsPreface: The Right Kind of DogIntroduction: Studying DogsPart I. The Evolution of the Basic Dog: CommensalismChapter 1. Wolves Evolve into DogsChapter 2. Village DogsChapter 3. Natural BreedsPart II. Working Dogs and People: MutualismChapter 4. Developmental EnvironmentsChapter 5. The Physical Conformation of a BreedChapter 6. Behavioral ConformationPart III. Are People the Dog's Best Friend? Parasitism, Amensalism, and DulosisChapter 7. Household DogsChapter 8. Assistance DogsPart IV. The Tail Wags the DogChapter 9. What's in the Name Canis familiaris?Chapter 10. The Age of the DogChapter 11. Why Dogs Look the Way They DoChapter 12. ConclusionBibliographyIndex

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